[ Chapter XXI (21): "WILD RIDE & FIRST-LOOK OF... HOGWARTS?" ]
Noticing the weird look his student is giving him. Felix immediately coughed into his hand, before adding on another lie with what he just said; [ "Of course! They can't see us." ]
[ "People with no affinity to magic wouldn't be able to see the Knightbus after all, so don't worry, John." ]
[ "But, why were they trying to chase y-" ]
[ "Well, wouldn't you look at the time. We really-really need to go." ]
Squinting his eyes, the young blonde haired boy with bread crumbs on his cheeks seems to be suspicious. As he then voices his thoughts.
Before then being cut off, and dragged forward much farther inside the Knightbus, away from the doors at the very least.
Confused, but in seeing the panicked expression of his Professor. The young diligent Student just shrugged, and moved on.
As he then sat on one of the plenty of chairs inside the Knightbus... Weirdly enough, the inside of the mysterious bus is more messy than he thought.
Wooden chairs half-heartedly thrown here to there. Some more attached to the walls. There are even rags on the floor, dirty. And the inside is so-so messy with the designs in the wall peeling away. And there are no drivers!
But John didn't think about it. The magical world surely has a different culture than the ordinary world. Take a look at his Professor's style of clothing... That's a prime example.
So John didn't question it, and instead waited patiently for the said Knightbus to move...
He then noticed his Professor, sweating profoundly, both hands grasping the nearest object he could hold; and he seemingly holds on to it, for dear life.
[ "Hey, John. Hold on tight, yeah?" ]
Nodding in return, John did what he was told as he used both of his hands to hold the chair he is sitting on... Grasping it hard also.
[ "I-I guess we're about to go..." ]
Felix noticed the sign on the front changing from England to Hogwarts... In most cases, and hopefully in this case, it means that they're about to go.
And from what he seen in the Pottermore Universe... The titular character, Harry, experienced the Knightbus first-hand... And was thrown here to there, thankfully without any head injury— possibility had, but never told.
So in seeing that the bus was about to move... Felix panicked, holding on for dear life; also warning his student. [ "John, whatever happens don't let g-!" ]
But it was already too late, as Felix heard the engines of the bus turned on... And in seconds, his voice was caught off, as he then gets slightly pushed... Losing his footing, before falling, thankfully he was still holding on the pole; so he seems to be doing fine.
But his worry for his student was still evident, as he then turned his gaze back to his student; [ "John don-?!" ]
[ "Huh...?!" ]
His voice stopped mid-way again, when he realized that his student was doing fine... And is instead looking excitedly at the scenery outside through the window... [ "Woah...!" ]
With his face smudged on the window, looking out... Observing everything, not letting anything out of his sight; in fear that he might miss something.
And right he is in guessing that he'll miss something... Because everything outside the window seems to move in a blur, that's how fast the bus they are riding on is.
[ "D-don't Jo-!" ]
So fast that everything outside changes scenery from one of the bustling cities of England, to a clear open space with fields outside. And even before John could get used to this, the scene then changed again...
Then again... Then again. Which fueled the young boy's excitement and intusiasm more as he didn't remove his head from the window, not for a single second.
[ "Jo-john t... that's-!" ]
[ "Damn it bus!" ]
In contratry, Felix's experience is much worse. As he gets pushed from left-to-right, to right-to-left, forward and backward by the bus. Whenever the Knightbus would move to the side, he'll stumble and move also.
When the bus abruptly stops for traffic, he'll stop also, getting the experience to fly without any support from magic or alchemy items i.e. brooms, flying carpets.
And when the bus would continue, he would then roll around to the other side of the bus... All of this repeating until finally they get into their destined location...
Outside the broken down school of Hogwarts. At which point, John, the student that never had removed his head from the window, finally looked to the side at the state of his... [ "Professor, are you alright?" ]
Which is laid out, flat on the ground, face first... In response to his student question, he just merely gave a shaky thumbs up... Before then standing up, like nothing had happened.
[ "N-never better..." ]
[ "C-come on, J-John!" ]
Wiping off the dust that gotten to his suit, and pants, before then moving out the Knightbus. Moving from side-to-side in the process, like a common drunk.
John who noticed this, didn't bother and instead followed his Professor both patiently and impatiently.
He looked slightly to the side and noticed the shift of the bus going to neutral, as then the door outside opened up... With the older of the two frantically throwing himself out, but thankfully having recovered and now could control his body properly... He thinks, but in reality he still looks like a common drunk.
Stepping out the bus, John quickly noticing the heavily decorated school in front. For children, also is a part-time apartment for rich people... And so, his eyes beamed in joy, in seeing this.
[ "W-wow... This is Hogwarts!" ]
[ "No, John... Actually this is..." ]
But his Professor quickly shattered that reality when he pointed across the street... To an old withering house that is about to fall, and is dying... [ "Huh, uhh- alright t-then..." ]
Crossing the street, both Felix and John now stood in front of the so-called Hogwarts... The younger of the two looking around at the surroundings, with them seemingly out of place.
He could see signs everywhere, cablewire, and people walking around, subtly casting glance at them... And are speaking in another tongue that John has never heard of before.
But not daring to ask questions, he instead followed his Professor inside the decrepit house... The possibility of the inside being much bigger, much brighter, much more beautiful than the outside getting into him...
[ "I-is this Hogwarts, Professor...?" ]
[ "Huh-? Of course it is." ]
Apparently it isn't much more beautiful than the outside... And now what stood in front of John is a heavily dusty house, with furniture having eaten and is dying due to old-age...
This is really the magical institution called Hogwarts?!!
John stepped out the house, and looked at the plaque posted just outside the door... And right he is, as the word Hogwarts is written on it; in big-bold golden letters with a black background...
...
This is Hogwarts...
Darn it.
The young wizard's dream of going into another world shattering, going and playing around with other wizards his age, learning magic and perhaps even fighting sone mystical beast along the way.
All of that shattered as he now looks at the dying house, which is Hogwarts... He thought of leaving, perhaps asking his Professor that he doesn't want to continue with this anymore.
But something stopped him as he looks at the wand hidden inside his pockets... Even though this place might be worse than his already supposed worse of the worse home, wherein his father resides in. He could still use magic.
He made a crushed can of soda levitate, he shot mysterious reddish light out of his wand and push objects, he made the tip of his wand glow... All of that under half a day, less than 4 hours actually... So why should he be worried? He is a prodigy.
And prodigies doesn't care where they are, or their state in life, as they continue to ever-pursue their God-given gifts... What is that?!!
John who had already made his resolve, was shocked when he noticed the walls in front of him move to the side... And what is presented to him, greatly-greatly baffled him...
[ "Get in, John." ]
[ "And close the door behind you, please?" ]
Apparently Narnia do exist... And it is hidden not behind wardrobes but is instead through walls... Wow.
John watches in amazement, making a vow inside his heart to never doubt his Professor, that sometimes might be weird, but is also smart and knows better than him in wizard culture... And is someone that is mysterious, powerful, and knows more magic than him... [ "A-alright!" ]
Before then stepping into Hogwarts, wholeheartedly accepting his fate as a Hogwarts Student... Ready for the adventure presented in front of him.
[ ——— ] [ ——— ] [ ——— ] [ ——— ]
[ 04/25/2025 ]
[ 04/26/2025 ]